The A-hole Next Door (completed)

NINE

Luigi wheeled his chair towards Lauren's desk. "Oh, Lord. Lo, you've got a visitor," he whispered to his friend who was busy sketching.

Lauren lifted her head from her desk, and she was too surprised to react on what she saw. Zayn was walking towards her with a big grin on his face.

"Hi, Lauren." Zayn greeted happily. "I'm here to pick you up."

"Pick me up?" She frowned.

"Yup. You're gonna buy me a guitar, right?"

Lauren gaped at him. "I told you I'm gonna buy it tomorrow, Zayn. I have work and I also have other plans today." She reasoned. It was only two in the afternoon and she would also see Liam at seven.

"I have gigs tomorrow. Let's shop for it now instead."

She pursed her lips. Last night, Dustin waved the white flag between them. Their breakfast was actually a good one, because Zayn didn't annoy her so she had nothing to sass about. She and Zayn both didn't want to bring out the Incredible Hulk inside Dustin again, so they tried to be nice to each other.

But Zayn was getting into Lauren's nerves again. Couldn't he just wait for his guitar? Was it really necessary for him to pick her up during office hours?

Luigi decided to chime in. He sensed that his friend was getting annoyed with Zayn again. "Zayn, it's office hours. We'll be out at five o'clock. I suggest you wait for her instead."

Zayn furrowed his brows. "I got rehearsals at five. I'll talk to your boss, maybe he can let you out early." He said, not even giving Lauren a chance to mutter her protest because he ran to Avan's office right away.

Lauren stood up to follow Zayn, and she could feel pairs of eyes staring at her. Zayn was a complete stranger for everyone, a stranger who suddenly walked straight to Avan's office without even knocking.

"Are you the boss?" Zayn asked right away after opening the door.

Avan removed his eyeglasses, then stared at the guy with purple hair and eye patch in front of him. "Yes. And you're?"

"Sir! I'm so sorry!" Lauren batted in as she ran inside Avan's office. "He's Luigi's friend, he-

"I'm Zayn, Lauren's friend." He replied, and Lauren almost choked. Since when they did become friends?

"What can I do for you, Zayn?" Avan asked.

"Could you give Lauren an early out today? He owes me a guitar and she promised to buy me a new one. And I'm actually a busy man, now is the only free time I got." He said with confidence, not even blinking nor stuttering.

Lauren sighed and shut her eyes. She couldn't believe what Zayn was doing.

Avan stared at Zayn. He didn't know if he should be impressed or disgusted with the lad's balls to ask for something like that. He glanced at his employee, who was like praying with her eyes closed and who was obviously embarrassed by the things that were happening.

"A guitar? You want to take my cartoonist out from work to buy you a guitar? Someone needs to sort out his priorities." Avan said calmly.

Zayn let out a soft laugh. "We all have our different priorities. And my gigs are my priority right now. I won't be able to perform without a guitar."

Lauren didn't know what to say. She wanted to drag Zayn out of the office and throw him out to the windows. If only she could do it without worrying about jail time.

"Well then." Avan finally said after seconds of silence. "She was all done with her comic strips, so I can dismiss her early." The editor turned to Lauren. "You're free to go, Lauren."